Former President Barack Obama issued a rare statement Sunday rebuking the Trump administration for targeting the president’s political enemies, namely for launching a federal investigation into Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
“It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say,” Obama said in a lengthy statement shared on social media. “But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.”
The remarks come after federal agents raided Omar’s Washington D.C., home last week, confiscating her laptop, cellphone and passport, as well as other notebooks and documents related to her and her family’s immigration.
“To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts. Congresswoman Omar came to this country with her father when she was 12 years old,” Obama said, noting that both she and her father became naturalized citizens five years after arriving from Somalia.
In diatribes against Democrats, President Donald Trump has repeatedly singled out Omar, whom Obama described as “one of the Trump Administration’s fiercest critics.”
Trump has called Omar “garbage” and broadly condemned Somalis. Vice President JD Vance has also joined in, at one point claiming in March, without evidence, that Omar “definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America.”
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said last week that her office is investigating potential improprieties related to Omar’s financial disclosures, but the search warrant that authorized agents to seize Omar’s belongings listed potential violations related to immigration, not finances.
Lawyers for Omar have demanded the immediate return of all of her property.
“Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case,” Obama wrote on Sunday. “Think about that. The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.”
The search came just weeks ahead of the pivotal midterm elections. Obama weighed in as he prepared to take his star power to Michigan next weekend to campaign for Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson.
The former president added that “the fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views. Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.”
Wainwright explosion at a Canadian military base kills at least seven and injures dozens as officials rule out terrorism and investigate the deadly fire.
Wainwright Explosion Kills at Least Seven at Canadian Base
The Wainwright explosion at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta has left at least seven people dead and dozens injured, according to reports by CBC News and Global News.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, during a live-fire training exercise at the military base, located approximately 200 kilometers southeast of Edmonton.
Canada’s Department of National Defence confirmed that a fire broke out in the training area at approximately 4:00 p.m. local time. The Canadian Armed Forces said the blaze resulted in fatalities and injuries but has not yet released an official casualty count.
Military sources cited by Canadian media said the explosion occurred when a munition used during the training exercise struck a natural gas line or gas well.
The impact reportedly triggered a large detonation and a fast-moving fire that spread beyond the boundaries of the training area.
High winds, with gusts reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour, helped the flames spread rapidly through dry grassland and nearby rural areas.
The Canadian Armed Forces said emergency responders from military and civilian agencies worked quickly to contain the fire and assist those affected.
By Saturday evening, the Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure had been protected. Authorities did not order an evacuation of residents in the surrounding area.
The Department of National Defence said the full extent of the impact remains under assessment. It added that casualty details will not be released until relatives have been notified.
The government has ruled out terrorism as a possible cause. Officials said there were no indications that the explosion was connected to an attack or deliberate act of violence.
The incident has nevertheless prompted a major investigation involving the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Wainwright explosion activated emergency protocols across hospitals in the Edmonton region.
Local health authorities declared a code orange alert, a designation used for external disasters or mass-casualty incidents.
Injured personnel were transported to hospitals including the University of Alberta Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.
Medical teams prepared for a large number of patients with burns, trauma injuries and respiratory problems caused by smoke and toxic gases.
Firefighters faced difficult conditions because the fire involved both explosive material and hydrocarbon infrastructure.
The combination of live ammunition, natural gas and dry vegetation created a complex emergency that required coordination among military firefighters, civilian fire departments and specialized rescue teams.
Strong winds made the fire difficult to control and increased the risk that flames could spread to nearby communities.
Authorities asked residents to avoid the area so that emergency vehicles could move freely and rescue operations could continue without obstruction.
The Wainwright area is home to one of Canada’s largest military training facilities. The base is used for live-fire exercises involving tanks, artillery, infantry units and other military equipment.
CFB Wainwright is also an important NATO training site. Allied forces from several countries use the installation for exercises designed to improve interoperability and combat readiness.
The base covers a vast rural area and includes training ranges, administrative facilities, housing and support infrastructure.
The explosion occurred during a routine training exercise, according to the Department of National Defence. Officials have not identified the unit involved or the type of munition used.
Investigators will need to determine whether the incident resulted from an error in targeting, a malfunction in the munition, inadequate safety procedures or an unexpected hazard related to the gas infrastructure.
The Canadian Armed Forces said the immediate priority is supporting those affected and notifying their families.
The names of the victims have not been released. Officials said identification and notification procedures are ongoing.
Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Sunday that four service members had died. He said dozens more were seriously injured and described the fire as one of the worst peacetime tragedies affecting Canada’s military on domestic soil.
“Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected,” Carney said.
The prime minister said his government was working closely with the Government of Alberta and local authorities.
He added that he and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith were in close contact, along with their respective ministers and relevant officials.
Defence Minister David McGuinty traveled to Edmonton on Sunday to monitor the investigation. He said the situation remained “very active and delicate.”
McGuinty said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were participating in the investigation and that authorities would provide further information once the facts had been established.
🇨🇦 Al menos siete muertos y decenas de heridos dejó una explosión e incendio en la base militar CBF Wainwright en Alberta. #teleSUR#Canadapic.twitter.com/tSvGpCS0Bi
The Wainwright explosion has raised questions about safety procedures during live-fire exercises at military bases.
Live-fire training is essential for preparing soldiers for combat operations, but it also carries significant risks when it takes place near explosive or flammable infrastructure.
Military authorities regularly conduct risk assessments before exercises to identify hazards, establish safety zones and coordinate emergency responses.
Investigators will examine whether those procedures were followed and whether the presence of gas infrastructure near the training area was properly identified.
They will also review weather conditions, ammunition handling, communication between units and the response of emergency teams.
The investigation could lead to changes in training protocols, safety distances, mapping procedures or the coordination between military and civilian authorities.
The incident occurred during a period when Canada has been increasing military preparedness amid global security tensions.
Canada is a member of NATO and has supported allied operations in Europe and other regions. The country has also increased investment in defense capabilities in response to international instability.
CFB Wainwright plays a central role in that effort because it provides space for large-scale training exercises involving Canadian and allied forces.
The base has hosted soldiers from NATO member states and partner countries. Its facilities allow forces to train in conditions that cannot easily be reproduced at smaller installations.
The explosion could therefore affect training schedules and force readiness in the short term.
Military authorities may suspend certain exercises while investigators examine the site and review safety procedures.
The incident also highlights the risks faced by military personnel during routine operations. Training accidents can occur even when soldiers are not deployed in combat zones.
The Canadian Armed Forces has expressed condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
Officials have asked the public to avoid speculation while the investigation continues. They have also urged people to rely on official statements rather than unverified reports circulating on social media.
Geopolitical Context
The Wainwright explosion has implications for Canada’s military readiness and its role within NATO.
Canada has increased its defense commitments in recent years amid tensions involving Russia, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region.
The country has contributed troops, equipment and training resources to NATO operations, while also maintaining a military presence in international missions.
CFB Wainwright is important to those efforts because it allows Canadian and allied forces to conduct large-scale exercises under realistic conditions.
A major accident at the base could affect the planning of future exercises and require additional investment in safety infrastructure.
The incident also highlights the connection between military training and energy infrastructure. Canada is a major producer of oil and natural gas, and many military facilities are located near pipelines, wells and other energy installations.
That proximity creates risks that must be managed through mapping, safety zones and coordination between military authorities and energy companies.
The explosion may prompt a review of those procedures across Canadian military bases.
The tragedy also has domestic political implications. Alberta has been the scene of debates over energy policy, provincial autonomy and Canada’s federal structure.
The incident occurred one day before Albertans voted in a referendum on separation from Canada. The explosion could affect public attention and political discussion in the province.
For now, the government’s priority is to support the victims and determine the cause of the disaster.
The Canadian Armed Forces has said it will release additional information only after families have been notified. Until then, the full human and operational impact of the Wainwright explosion remains under assessment.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has hit a record low as his party faces a reckoning with voters just 16 days before Election Day, new polls show.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey released Sunday shows 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s job performance, with 66% disapproving and 52% strongly disapproving. That represents a drop of four percentage points from July and eight points from this time last year — an all-time low in this polling.
As MS NOW’s Elections & Analytics team has noted, Trump’s approval rating has hovered below 40% for months in most surveys, signaling a politically perilous environment for Republicans.
Democrats’ fortunes are rising in the final stretch to the Nov. 3 midterm elections as they seek to regain control of Congress.
The poll, conducted Oct. 9-13, shows 52% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate in their congressional district while 44% said they would choose a Republican. That’s a 5-point gain from the same poll conducted in July.
Among registered voters, 55% favor Democrats, with 44% preferring Republicans. MS NOW’s polling data with partner FiftyPlusOne shows Democrats with a 9-point edge on the generic ballot.
The NBC survey shows 71% of U.S. adults say the country is on the “wrong track” — a resounding rebuke of Trump and the Republican Party two weeks before the midterms as GOP candidates face stiff competition on their home red turfs.
The findings underscore widespread dissatisfaction with the president’s unilateral decision to take the U.S. to war with Iran and its costly effects on the economy, including the steep price of gasoline and diesel. The poll shows that 67% of respondents identified gas prices as a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem.
“Those disapproval ratings are just a reflection of the pain people are feeling on the ground when, you know, they see this administration enter into this $50 billion war that is deeply unpopular and misguided,” South Carolina Senate Democratic candidate Annie Andrews said Sunday on MS NOW’s “The Weekend” when asked about recent polling in her state showing Trump’s unpopularity.
Andrews, who is facing Republican Sen. Darline Graham, said shrimpers and fishermen in the Low Country “are barely making ends meet because they’re being crushed by these diesel prices.”
Der Diesel-Deal, den die Präsidenten Trump und Putin geschlossen haben, ist für die EU und Selensky buchstäblich ein Produkt aus der Hölle. Selensky bezeichnete den Deal als Zeichen der Schwäche von Trump und warf Trump Verrat vor. Die Spitzen der EU waren in ihren Aussagen etwas zurückhaltender, sagten dem Sinne nach aber das Gleiche. Ich […]
DUBAI, Oct 18 (Reuters) – Iran’s offer to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days is still on the table, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Iranian media...
A judge last week, however, ordered a halt to his redevelopment plans until at least Oct. 26 after scolding the government for starting a large-scale tree removal at the course over a holiday weekend while providing little notice to the court or the plaintiffs trying to stop the makeover.
The US has resumed sharing intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches with Ukraine after a pause of several days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NBC News on 18 October. The blackout fell on days when Russia was firing ballistic missiles at Ukraine. Limits on the Starlink satellite service that Ukraine’s forces rely on remain in place, he said.
Russia has leaned on ballistic missiles in this month’s strikes on Ukraine’s grid, firing 39 in a single attack, and Ukraine is short of interceptors to stop them. Washington has used its support as leverage, reportedly telling Kyiv to spare Russian refineries or lose US intelligence and arms.
Three days without warnings
The sharing had been blocked for some period of time before it was restored, Zelenskyy said on Meet the Press.
“We are very thankful for this. Now it works,” he said.
Ukraine gets other intelligence from Europeans and dozens of other partners, he explained. But only the United States has the data that tells Kyiv when Russia launches ballistic missiles.
“We didn’t get it during ballistic attacks during three days,” Zelenskyy said.
A timely warning gives Ukraine’s air defenses extra minutes to prepare and lets authorities alert civilians, Liga noted. Late on 12 October, Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv before the air-raid alert reached people, with no advance data on launches from Russian territory. The next day, US President Donald Trump said Washington was still sharing intelligence. Two days later, Zelenskyy said Kyiv had received no US warnings of incoming ballistic missiles while it paused its strikes on Russian refineries at Washington’s request. That pause followed the energy ceasefire Trump declared on 11 October, which Russia never confirmed.
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“He thinks Ukraine is a weak link and that it needs to be squeezed into giving in”: diplomat on why Trump pressures Kyiv, not Moscow
Starlink still capped, Kyiv says
Starshield, the military version of Starlink, still cuts out above 161 km/h, Zelenskyy said, too slow for Ukraine’s interceptor drones to catch Russia’s jet-powered Shahed-type drones. NBC News, which aired the interview, separately reported that Starlink services had resumed at normal speed. He said Ukraine’s generals and government believe the order came from the US government and SpaceX carried it out, though he did not know who exactly made the call. Ukraine had instead asked SpaceX and Trump to open Starlink over Russia so it could hit ballistic missile launchers, he said.
“If [Trump] will personally decide to lift this decision, it will immediately work as it was before,” he said.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who appeared on the same show, called Zelenskyy’s charge “very reckless” and said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had denied any administration role. Asked about the break in intelligence sharing, he said he did not know anything about it but that Zelenskyy should be “very careful about making statements like this that aren’t true.” Reuters had reported, citing three officials, that White House officials ordered the Pentagon to limit the service.
Asked whether Ukraine could win without the United States, Zelenskyy said it would be very difficult.
“But if the United States will support Putin, I mean, it’s unbelievable, it’s tragedy. It’s historic mistake and big tragedy,” he said.
He also said his team had received word that US negotiators wanted to meet, and that he had offered to meet in Brussels or London, hoping the US team would be ready this week.
The warnings are back, but they stopped once without explanation. Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s missiles still runs through decisions made in the US.
Two Romanian F-16s shot down two jet-powered Russian Geran attack drones over Romania’s territorial waters near Sulina on the evening of 17 October, Romania’s Defense Ministry said. The ministry released cockpit images of the mission the next day, as NATO allies prepare to discuss Black Sea security at a special session Romania requested.
This comes as Moscow continues its air attacks on Ukraine, while the US is trying to make deals with Russia over its diesel and lift sanctions. Russia keeps striking Ukraine’s energy system and cities, while its drones and suspected saboteurs keep turning up inside NATO, from tankers hit off Romania to a foiled arson attempt at a Starlink site in Lithuania.
Down within minutes
The F-16s took off from the 86th Air Base at Borcea at 17:43 after radar detected a group of air targets about 120 km east of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, flying southwest, Ukrainian military outlet Militarnyi reported, citing the ministry. The first drone entered Romanian airspace at 17:59 and was shot down at 18:01 southeast of Sulina. The second entered at 18:01 and was downed at 18:05 east of Sulina.
Where Romanian radar detected two drones, about 120 km east of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, and where Romanian F-16s shot them down over Romania’s territorial waters near Sulina, 17 October 2026. Map: Euromaidan Press
Both were jet-powered attack drones of the Geran family, the ministry said. The Geran is Russia’s version of the Iranian-designed Shahed. When first detected, the drones were about 65 km from the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea and 140 km from the Ukrainian-held shore, and their southwest course may point to Russian origin, Militarnyi calculated.
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Congress gave Trump 30 days to hit Russia’s oil buyers with 100% tariffs. He waives them two days before deadline, citing US interests. Moscow calls it historic
The ministry posted the cockpit images on 18 October, showing a missile launch and a fireball over the sea. “Targets spotted, identified, engaged and neutralized!” it wrote.
A fireball over the Black Sea seen from the cockpit of a Romanian F-16 during the mission to shoot down two drones near Sulina, 17 October 2026. Photo: Romanian Defense Ministry/Facebook
Allies to meet on the Black Sea
A special session of the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s top decision-making body, will discuss defense and deterrence in the Black Sea on 20 October at Romania’s request. Romanian President Nicușor Dan has confirmed that the two tankers that caught fire near Sulina last week were hit by drones, and a NATO military source told Reuters they were Russian.
Romanian radar has logged 54 drone intrusions into the country’s air and sea space since Russia’s full-scale invasion, 35 of them this year, and the military has shot down six such targets in 2026, Defense Ministry data show.
A Romanian Air Force F-16AM/BM Block 15. Illustrative photo: via Militarnyi
Searches in Poland and Lithuania
Within hours, Poland’s Operational Command said it was checking a possible airspace violation by an unknown object overnight into 18 October. Troops, police, and military police searched for a possible crash site south of Lublin after residents reported the loud sound of a flying object around 02:00, Militarnyi reported.
On the morning of 18 October, an unknown drone entered Lithuania’s airspace and triggered air raid alerts, the country’s crisis management center said. NATO jets accompanied it but could not shoot it down because of bad weather, Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said. Debris preliminarily identified as drone parts was later found in the village of Juodžioniai in Pasvalys district, and the army said the drone may have entered from the direction of Poland.
Romania moved from escorting Russia’s stray drones to firing on them in July, when its F-16s downed three in 72 hours.
Casualties 'completely overwhelm' hospitals in Edmonton; flames spread beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright; authorities say incident under investigation, no cause provided
The author took her first cruise trip on the Disney Wish.
Courtesy of the author
My friend and I have 7 kids between us, including 3 sets of twins. We took a Disney cruise alone.
I loved the adults-only spaces, trivia games, spa treatments, and relaxing on Disney's private island.
I'm already planning another Disney cruise with my kids, though I might prefer going without them.
"You've never been on a cruise?" my friend basically yelled at me while we were planning an adults-only trip away from our kids. She insisted that cruising with her grandparents as an adult was one of the best trips she's ever taken.
So, despite being a little terrified of being aboard essentially a floating skyscraper with thousands of people, I agreed to a Disney cruise for just the two of us.
Honestly, it was so much fun that I'm already planning another Disney cruise with my kids — though I'm not sure I want to give up the adults-only version.
It was such an easy getaway
My family is known for taking really elaborate vacations. One time we stayed on a remote island near Sicily, which is an active volcano. It took us three flights and a long ferry ride to get there, but it was totally worth it to see the lava at night.
This trip was different. We took a flight from Boston to Orlando, boarded the Disney Wish, and after that, we didn't have to think about anything. We have seven kids between the two of us (including three sets of twins), and the ease of the Disney cruise was exactly what we both needed.
There were activities nonstop, and you could join any of them at any point. I took a quick class to learn how to draw Ursula, we participated in so many trivia games with other adults, and stopped to take photos with characters — who are all over the boat all the time — to send home to our kids.
I really liked that almost everything was included
Part of its ease was that most everything was included, so there were few extra costs. For example, all meals at the themed restaurants were part of the package, and we could order as many dishes as we wanted. Non-alcoholic beverages are also included, and you get room service 24/7.
I especially liked the buffet-style meals at Marceline Market because I could mix in some healthy options (there were plenty) with some of my faves, like the fried hash browns for lunch or the Mickey-shaped churro waffles (which were highly recommended by the whole staff).
The author really enjoyed the dirty martini for $14.
Courtesy of the author
Of course, there are fancier options, like the Italian restaurant Palo, for which we couldn't get a reservation during our trip. That said, we spent plenty of time at the Keg & Compass pub because on the first night I discovered their vodka dirty martini, which was hands down the best one I've ever had (yes, including fancy New York restaurants). Cocktail prices varied from bar to bar, but this martini was $14, which seemed super reasonable to me.
Visiting Castaway Cay was key
Disney cruises in the Caribbean stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. And for me, it was a key stop.
While I've been on a lot of boats growing up — my dad loves fishing — I still get seasick a lot. And while I was surprised by how little the cruise ship rocked, I could still feel it a little bit. So getting off the boat and having my feet on the sand was necessary for me.
The author really enjoyed the adult-only section of Castaway Cay.
Courtesy of the author
I also love the ocean, and the Caribbean water is the perfect mix of temperature, color, and soft sand. My favorite moment was drinking a frozen piña colada with my friend while taking in some sunshine.
I appreciated that the island has an adults-only section called Serenity Bay, which was quieter and more relaxed than the family beach. There's a restaurant off the beach, too, so we were able to eat lunch between dips in the water.
The schedule was packed
While there were nonstop activities on the boat, I was often torn between wanting to do two or more overlapping things. For example, there was bingo one night happening at the same time as trivia. Given the option, I would've done both, because who doesn't love a bingo night? There was another day when you could make your own friendship bracelets, but I had already booked a facial, and that craft didn't repeat during our stay.
Because our main goal was to spend time together and relax, I felt I didn't do many of the interesting activities the boat offered. But I also get that that's the point; there's something for everyone at any given time of the day.
We didn't book things in advance
Being a newbie worked against me when booking extra activities. I wanted to surprise my friend with a couple's massage so we could destress, and I also wanted a facial.
By the time I went to book spa treatments (about a week before we boarded), there were very few time slots available. Next time, as soon as I book my trip, I'll be adding all the extras I want to maximize availability.
That said, we ended up getting our massage on embarkation day, which turned out to be the perfect way to smoothly transition from the chaos of mom life to vacation mode. And at $399 for both of us, it wasn't that much more expensive than the massages I get back in Maine. I booked my facial for 8 a.m., which felt a little early, but again was the only available time. If I were to do it again, I'd book the facial in the afternoon so as not to cut into pool time.
I overpacked and didn't have room for souvenirs
When I tell you I packed and unpacked my bag about 10 times before boarding, I'm not exaggerating. The Disney cruise hosted a pirate night and a Halloween party, and I wanted to be prepared for both. I also didn't know what to expect to want to wear on a cruise, so I overpacked by a ton.
The author purchased a cruise-themed shirt that got so many compliments.
Courtesy of the author
This left me with very little room for souvenirs, which I still bought, but had to carry an extra tote bag back home. All the shops on the boat have different themes and therefore offer different stuff. I bought a Mickey-cruise-themed men's shirt that got so many compliments on the day I wore it. I also bought my kids pens and small keychain stuffies with their favorite characters.
We weren't the only adults without kids
My friend, who has more cruise experience than I do, insisted it wouldn't be weird for us to be on a Disney cruise without kids. And she was right. We weren't the only ones enjoying the adults-only areas, which included an ample pool deck with a jacuzzi, a small pool, a dedicated bar, and a coffee shop. There were also adults-only activities, like dance parties and trivia. And obviously, all the bars were for 21+.
The author loved all the music trivia.
Courtesy of the author
While we only stayed at the adults-only pool deck, we could still hear the movies blasting for the family-friendly pool deck, which at times made it hard to relax. That said, when "Frozen" came on, both my friend and I were singing along (and probably annoying other adult guests).
We met a couple who were older than us who were on their 41st cruise. They found me adorable, being so excited about my first experience on board. They told me to get ready to become a cruise person, and they weren't wrong.
I had such a great time that I'm already planning when to take another Disney cruise, this time with my whole family. Disney Cruise Lines just announced a new ship called Believe, which will feature an "Encanto" stage show — which just happens to be my kids favorite Disney movie.
I cannot wait to see my kids' eyes go wide when they see how many things they can do, and for them to be ready to take a photo with their favorite Disney character, Daisy Duck.
Ukraine's drone operators want drones that they can send en masse and tailor to their own needs.
Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
Ukraine's drone pilots want masses of cheap, simple drones, a soldier and analyst said.
Western manufacturers overcomplicate them and "get it so wrong," he added.
Operators want drones they can tweak near the front and send out in large numbers.
Ukrainian drone operators need masses of relatively simple drones without a bunch of flashy features, a soldier with firsthand experience explained, cautioning the West against making them too complicated as it readies for future drone fights.
Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion is a grinding war of attrition that is consuming weaponry so fast that combatants need affordable weapons in huge numbers, and battlefield technology becomes obsolete so quickly that soldiers need systems they can update easily to keep them relevant in battle.
Dmytro "Liber" Zhluktenko, a former drone operator who is now a lessons learned analyst in Ukraine's 413th Unmanned Systems Regiment "RAID," told Business Insider that "we need something that works great but doesn't have superfluous features."
"That is something that most of the Western defense technology manufacturers, they get it so wrong," he said. Consider first-person-view attack drones, "we need something that is really basic."
"We are yet to find Western manufacturers that are able to produce, let's say 500,000 FPV drones, simple ones that just work, that are fine-tuned without any extra autonomy or extra navigation or any features like that," he added, describing what Ukraine needs most as something pilots can easily take straight into combat.
Ukrainian drone companies work closely with operators and units to learn what they want and need.
Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
Western-made drone tech, he said, is often "too complicated, often detached from the battlefield, and much more expensive than Ukrainian options doing the same job. Therefore, most of the drones used at Ukraine's battlefield are Ukrainian-made."
His assessment of the situations draws on both his experience as a drone operator and his role as an analyst, where he looks at battlefield trends, interviews operators, meets with foreign defense manufacturers, prepares briefs for higher command, and organizes the sharing of information between Ukrainian units.
Simple drones give soldiers more flexibility
Part of the appeal of simpler drones is that Ukrainian operators can adapt them themselves.
Near the front, soldiers routinely modify weapons to keep them useful as the battlefield changes, and some units even have their own R&D centers.
They often want drones and other combat systems that are basic, generic platforms they can rework, upgrade, or configure for different missions, much like ground robots that can be assembled with different weapons or components like Lego sets.
Ukrainian companies and foreign companies that work with units know this is happening, work with unit engineers to help keep products updated, and are often surprised by the ways soldiers modify their gear. Companies are increasingly making their products modular, both so they can upgrade the products more easily and so soldiers can make their own changes near the front.
Ukrainian soldiers repair, maintain, and upgrade drones at a workshop near the front lines, and some Ukrainian companies design their drones so soldiers can alter and upgrade them as easily as possible.
Miguel Candela/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Zhluktenko said Ukraine's operators want products they can "tune ourselves, we would change the components or whatever as we need, because that's the normal process. But something like the basic platform that it could build upon."
He said it's "bonkers" that, despite the West's "significant industrial capacities," they aren't seeing anyone produce something simple and effective at scale.
Zhluktenko said that many Western manufacturers are still "stuck in this doctrine of building tools in small quantities that maybe yes, they do have some extra features, but that's not something that is way too relevant for Ukraine's combat."
The case for cheaper drones in greater numbers
Zhluktenko's comments echo warnings from Western and Ukrainian officials that this war has shown the West the limits of relying on smaller numbers of exquisite, highly advanced weapons.
Modern, large-scale warfare, as the situation in Ukraine has demonstrated, may also require much larger numbers of cheaper, less capable gear.
Ukraine is still buying and building advanced drone technology with cutting-edge features like autonomy, which can be critical for warfighting tasks such as intercepting Russia's attack drones or executing long-range strikes that need to break through the enemy's electronic warfare.
Drones are central to Ukraine's fight.
Carlo Bravo/Anadolu via Getty Images
Zhluktenko said that it's about "balance," arguing that simpler drones remain essential and are often needed in far greater numbers. Ukrainian companies like SkyFall and General Cherry are producing these kinds of drones at scale, he said.
A representative for Ukrainian drone and technology company TechEx told Business Insider that Western manufacturers often have to deal with heavier, peacetime regulations.
They may have "levels of additional software and hardware that's put on top of it instead of making it a bare, functional, ready to go system here and now," she said.
That can "overcomplicate the operation of the system," she added. It can also make the manufacturing process more complex, so it's harder to produce the large volumes that some Ukrainian manufacturers can.
She described it as the contrast between "wartime operations and the peacetime operations." She said Western companies might have different processes and priorities if they needed to work faster and on a bigger scale.
Western officials say the war shows that allies need much larger volumes of cheap weapons, with leaders like Danish defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen previouslytelling Business Insider that "one of the lessons" from Ukraine is that the West needs far greater quantities of inexpensive weaponry.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last year that "speed is of the essence, not perfection."
Drones are central to Ukraine's fight, and it says they now cause as much as 95% of Russia's front-line losses. But using drones effectively can require deploying large numbers of them, knowing that many will never reach their targets. That means making systems that are cheap and workable is key.
Zhluktenko said that when it comes to drones, the mindset should be about "spending thousands of dollars, not hundreds of thousands."
Dal viaggio di 1.555 km al debutto a Parigi: la nuova Opel Corsa GSE unisce 281 CV, assetto sportivo e versatilità quotidiana.
La nuova Opel Corsa GSE arriva sotto i riflettori del Salone dell’Auto di Parigi dopo un viaggio di 1.555 chilometri partito dallo stabilimento di Saragozza, in Spagna. Un itinerario scelto per raccontare non soltanto le prestazioni della più potente Corsa di serie finora realizzata, ma anche la capacità di una piccola sportiva elettrica di affrontare trasferimenti, autostrade e traffico urbano. Già ordinabile con un prezzo annunciato da 36.290 euro, la hot hatch interpreta la sigla Grand Sport Electric in una formula pensata per la strada di tutti i giorni.
Da Saragozza a Parigi: 1.555 km per la Corsa più potente
Il punto di partenza non è casuale. Nello stabilimento spagnolo di Saragozza la Corsa viene costruita dal 1982 e, secondo Opel, qui ne sono state prodotte oltre undici milioni di unità. Da questa storia industriale prende avvio il viaggio della GSE, attraverso i Pirenei, la costa atlantica francese e poi verso Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers e Tours. La destinazione è la Porte de Versailles, sede della manifestazione parigina. Le tappe mostrano come il carattere sportivo non escluda i chilometri percorsi con passeggeri e bagagli.
Motore elettrico da 281 CV e 0-100 km/h in 5,5 secondi
Sotto la carrozzeria compatta lavora un propulsore elettrico da 207 kW, pari a 281 CV, capace di sviluppare 345 Nm di coppia trasmessi alle ruote anteriori. Lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h in 5,5 secondi colloca la Corsa GSE al vertice delle prestazioni dell’attuale produzione Opel, secondo quanto dichiarato dal marchio. La risposta immediata dell’acceleratore e la modalità Sport sono state messe alla prova sui tornanti dei Pirenei: un contesto ideale per far emergere il carattere di un modello che punta sul piacere di guida, non soltanto sui numeri.
Torsen, assetto ribassato e pneumatici Michelin
Un ruolo determinante lo svolge il differenziale autobloccante Torsen, che aiuta a scaricare la coppia sull’asfalto e a contenere la tendenza al sottosterzo nelle curve affrontate con decisione. Completano il pacchetto le sospensioni sportive ribassate, gli ammortizzatori e i fine corsa idraulici sviluppati per la guida dinamica. I cerchi da 18 pollici montano pneumatici Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. È l’insieme di queste soluzioni, più che la sola potenza, a definire il comportamento della nuova hot hatch sulle strade tortuose.
Ricarica veloce e recupero dell’energia in discesa
Nel resoconto del viaggio Opel sottolinea anche la gestione dell’energia. Durante una sosta, la batteria della Corsa GSE passa dal 20 all’80% in 20 minuti, in condizioni di ricarica idonee. Attraversando il confine tra Spagna e Francia, i tratti in discesa consentono inoltre di sfruttare il recupero dell’energia in decelerazione. Il comunicato non indica in questa occasione la capacità della batteria né un dato di autonomia omologata: elementi da distinguere dalla percorrenza totale del viaggio, effettuato con soste per ricaricare.
Una hot hatch che sa viaggiare con tre persone
Non solo tornanti e accelerazioni. La Opel Corsa GSE ha affrontato il trasferimento con conducente, due passeggeri e bagagli, sfruttando il sedile posteriore frazionabile 40:60 per aumentare lo spazio di carico. Nelle lunghe tratte autostradali, la vettura ha mostrato secondo Opel una marcia stabile e silenziosa, con il supporto dei sistemi di assistenza alla guida. Il percorso fra città, strade extraurbane e autostrade è stato così usato dal costruttore per mettere in evidenza la doppia personalità della sportiva.
Abitacolo GSE: sedili sportivi e strumenti dedicati
Nell’abitacolo trovano posto sedili ad alte prestazioni per guidatore e passeggero anteriore e una grafica dedicata sui display. Le informazioni visualizzabili comprendono forze G, accelerazione e dati della batteria, utili a chi vuole seguire più da vicino il comportamento dell’auto. I dettagli gialli GSE sottolineano l’identità del modello senza rinunciare alla praticità della Corsa. È un’impostazione che prova a coniugare il linguaggio delle compatte sportive con l’esperienza digitale tipica di un’elettrica moderna.
Arrivo a Parigi: la sfida della sportività quotidiana
L’ultima parte del percorso attraversa il traffico della capitale francese, passando accanto ai luoghi simbolo della città fino alla sede del Salone. Qui la Corsa GSE si presenta accanto alla monoposto Opel GSE 27FE, destinata alla prossima stagione di Formula E. Da una parte il mondo delle competizioni, dall’altra una vettura ordinabile e utilizzabile ogni giorno: il filo conduttore è la nuova identità elettrica ad alte prestazioni del marchio. Dopo 1.555 chilometri, il messaggio di Opel è chiaro: una hot hatch elettrica può essere coinvolgente quando la strada si fa tortuosa, ma anche gestibile nei viaggi e in città.
A Rádio Nacional leva ao ar neste domingo (18) o confronto entre Fluminense e Santos, válido pela 31ª rodada do Brasileirão Masculino 2026. A bola rola a partir das 15h30, no Estádio do Maracanã, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
Jogando em casa, o Fluminense busca a recuperação após a derrota na última rodada para o rival Flamengo. Quarto colocado na tabela, com 51 pontos, o Tricolor precisa da vitória para se consolidar no G4. Já o Santos, oitavo colocado com 42 pontos, vai ao Rio em busca dos três pontos para se aproximar da parte de cima da tabela e garantir uma vaga em competições internacionais.
As transmissões da Rádio Nacional iniciam com a faixa Show de Bola Nacional e contarão com uma equipe completa para levar ao público todas as emoções dos confrontos. A cobertura da partida tem um time de peso na equipe de esportes da emissora: a narração fica por conta de André Luiz Mendes, com comentários de Mário Silva. Por fim, Rafael Monteiro comanda a reportagem e o plantão de informações da rodada.
A transmissão da partida entra no ar para parte da rede em AM e OC, além da FM no Rio de Janeiro, no Alto Solimões e parceiros da Rede Nacional de Comunicação Pública (RNCP).
A Nacional FM nas demais praças segue com o conteúdo musical. O ouvinte pode ficar ligado nas produções preferidas pelo dial, no app Rádios EBC e no site da emissora. Os áudios ainda estão disponíveis em tempo real por streaming nas duas plataformas.
Sobre o Campeonato Brasileiro
O Campeonato Brasileiro é a liga brasileira de futebol profissional entre clubes do Brasil, sendo a principal competição futebolística no país. Por meio da disputa, são indicados os representantes brasileiros para a Copa Libertadores da América (junto ao campeão da Copa do Brasil).
Vinte clubes participam do torneio. No decorrer da temporada, cada time joga duas vezes contra os outros (em um sistema de pontos corridos), uma vez em no próprio estádio e a outra no do adversário, em um total de 38 jogos.
As equipes recebem três pontos por vitória e um por empate. Os clubes são classificados pelo total de pontos, depois pelo saldo de gols e, em seguida, pelos gols marcados. Em caso de empate entre dois ou mais times, os critérios de desempate são: maior número de vitórias; maior saldo de gols; maior número de gols pró; confronto direto; menor número de cartões vermelhos recebidos; e menor número de cartões amarelos recebidos.
Prêmio TV Brasil Petrobras Para Elas
Aproveite a transmissão do Brasileirão Masculino e ajude a escolher a vencedora da categoria Craque da Torcida do Prêmio TV Brasil Petrobras Para Elas. A premiação criada pela TV Brasil e pela Petrobras vai reconhecer ainda atletas, treinadores e treinadoras, dirigentes, departamentos de futebol feminino e clubes que se destacarem ao longo da temporada de 2026.
Walking through East Cleveland, Ohio, feels a touch like you've wandered onto the set of a postapocalyptic film noir. Grand, gilded homes announce themselves on neighborhood streets, some crowned with turrets, many with windows punched out like missing teeth. Often, no one is home, because no one lives there. It is safer than 1 percent of U.S. cities.
That question is not really a legal one, at least not in the most technical sense. But it is the driving force behind a thorny case a federal court recently resuscitated: Fambrough v. City of East Cleveland, a saga concerning a man whose vehicle became an obsessive target of the East Cleveland Police Department (ECPD) after he used it to campaign for a mayoral challenger.
Some of the facts are in dispute. But the basic gist is as follows: William Fambrough, long a politically engaged East Clevelander, campaigned for Juanita Gowdy—a challenger to then-Mayor Brandon King—by broadcasting messages around the city with his sound truck. That ultimately came to an end after law enforcement impounded the car, cited him for parking and noise violations, and prosecuted him for the latter.
Fambrough sued, alleging the complex legal odyssey set into motion over his step van amounted to First Amendment retaliation, an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment, and a violation of the 14th Amendment's proscription against selective enforcement. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit rejected some of those claims. But it resurrected claims against King and his chief of staff, Michael Smedley—depriving them of qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that inoculates state and local government officials from facing lawsuits if their alleged misconduct was not "clearly established" as illegal in prior case law. It also revived Fambrough's retaliation claim against the city.
As the 6th Circuit summarizes: King "says he received a phone call from a resident who complained about Fambrough's sound truck and someone else's box truck being parked in a residential area," so he told someone to take care of it. Scott Gardner, then the city's chief of police, "was concerned about selectively enforcing" the parking ordinance—which prohibits parking a truck in front of residential property, except for loading or unloading—because it is indeed almost never enforced. This was the beginning of a long pursuit, which ultimately saw a swarm of officers dispatched to Fambrough's house in August 2021 to confiscate the vehicle, allegedly resulting in $6,000 in damage. Fambrough also had to pay $528 in fees to get the damaged truck back.
"All the attention City officials gave Fambrough struck Gardner as unusual," the 6th Circuit notes. "The mayor's office wasn't this attentive even in homicide cases. And considering that the City had around only 50 police officers at the time and had 'serious crime problems,' Gardner thought it was odd to devote this much attention to permitting and parking issues." Based on available data, East Cleveland's violent crime rate is 1,409 per 100,000 residents, about four times higher than the national average.
Yet Gardner ultimately got on board. Smedley phoned him on August 9 "extremely upset," according to Gardner, and told the police chief he was "incompetent" for failing to "take care of" Fambrough's sound truck. Smedley wanted the "utmost enforcement as possible." So Gardner sent an email. "Please, find this vehicle and tow it," he wrote to all of ECPD. "Cite the operator with disturbing the peace and loud music. Please contact me as soon as this is complete to claim a surprise." A surprise!
Police succeeded. "On its face, the email told officers to tow Fambrough's truck regardless of whether it was parked illegally," writes the 6th Circuit. "And the Noise Ordinance authorizes seizure only of 'the sound device used,' and only upon conviction. So Gardner's instruction to tow the truck wasn't authorized by municipal law." The court still held that the seizure did not violate the Fourth Amendment. It also gave Gardner qualified immunity, ruling it is not clearly established that someone who acts as a conduit for someone else's alleged retaliation—which here came from the mayor's office—is a "responsible party."
Heather McCollough, the city's assistant law director, subsequently prosecuted Fambrough for allegedly violating the noise ordinance. According to a sworn declaration from Fambrough's attorney, McCollough outlined some of Fambrough's offenses on a call: that he "made complaints about the police department" and filed "public records requests," among other issues. Notably, it is legal to do those things. McCollough was typically willing to resolve minor noise complaints, she added, but not so much in this case, because Fambrough needed to "stand down." (He ultimately pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct, a reduced charge.)
Institute for Justice
"Only after [Fambrough] began supporting Gowdy's election was the weight of the law thrown against him," the 6th Circuit writes in its analysis of potential municipal wrongdoing. "And the City's police officers didn't uncover Fambrough's violations of their own accord. Instead, City decisionmakers sent them to Fambrough's home each time to enforce the Parking Ordinance. So the timing of the parking-related enforcement actions supports an inference that Fambrough's political speech was the motivating factor—as does the fact that the City rarely enforced the Parking Ordinance against anyone else despite having plenty of opportunities to do so." Incredibly, a photo of another truck can be seen down the street on the same day law enforcement came to fetch Fambrough's vehicle. (The law also includes pickup trucks, so the city arguably has a lot of enforcement to do if it sincerely believes this law matters.)
King allegedly set the chain of events into motion while Smedley took the driver's seat. "Smedley's pattern of incessantly calling and berating Gardner," the 6th Circuit adds, "clashes with the idea that Smedley was chiefly concerned with minor permitting, noise, or parking issues." After all, if that were true, why would the problem appear to begin and end with one person?
Over five years have passed since the ordeal. Although Fambrough is now potentially closer to getting in front of a jury, he has yet to actually state his case, still burdened by the onerous process government actors invoke to kill such suits before the community can assess the merits. King, meanwhile, won that election. He left office in May 2025, however, after he was found guilty of one count of theft in office, four counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, three counts of representation by public official or employee, one count of filing a false disclosure statement, and one count of soliciting improper compensation.
A deadly incident at CFB Wainwright overwhelmed Edmonton hospitals as strong winds fueled a major fire.
A deadly incident at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta left at least seven people dead and dozens injured Saturday, triggering a major fire that spread into surrounding rural areas and prompted a large emergency response as strong winds hampered firefighting efforts.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said officers were called to the base shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area. Defense Minister David McGuinty confirmed the deaths and injuries but said authorities were still working to establish what had happened.
The scale of the casualties remained unclear late Saturday. Hospitals in Edmonton, about 180 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of the base, were receiving large numbers of patients as health-care facilities struggled to cope with the influx.
“This number of patients would overwhelm the city of Edmonton,” Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, told CBC News. “It is more patients than any of us want to count right now. It’s a disaster. It’s a one in every 15- to 25-year disaster.”
Text Reads: A “serious incident” has triggered a large fire at the Canadian Armed Forces Base (CFB) Wainwright in Alberta. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the incident and stated that he is working closely with the Government of Alberta and local authorities. 🕯️ Minister of Defence David McGuinty confirmed that the event resulted in “fatalities and injuries.” The Department of National Defence indicated that it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further details as they become available. 🏘️ The Municipality of Wainwright confirmed that the fire has spread beyond the base’s perimeter into the surrounding area and is being actively managed by authorities. No evacuation orders have been issued at this time. 🔥 CFB Wainwright is located approximately 210 kilometers east of Edmonton and is one of the most operationally active Canadian Army facilities in the country.
Meanwhile, firefighters battled the blaze into the night as powerful winds drove flames beyond the base and into nearby rural areas. A windstorm had battered large parts of Alberta during the day, with gusts reaching 100 kilometers per hour, toppling trees and sending signs and garbage cans flying.
By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright reported that the fire was being contained and that property and critical infrastructure were protected. No evacuation order had been issued for residents of the district.
The town of Wainwright, near the base, has about 7,000 residents.
McGuinty, speaking to reporters in Ottawa, described the situation as “very, very active and delicate.” He said members of the Canadian Armed Forces were at the scene and that the RCMP was involved in the investigation.
“I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister, but I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” he said.
“We will have more to say in the coming hours and days,” McGuinty added.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith described the fire as “significant and tragic,” saying it was affecting many military personnel. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his province was sending assistance to Alberta but did not specify what resources would be deployed.
Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed support for those affected in a social media post, saying, “Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected.”
A serious incident creating a major fire has occurred at CFB Wainwright, in Alberta.
Our thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected.
We are working closely with the Government of Alberta and local authorities. Premier Smith and I are in close contact as are our…
Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and McGuinty to offer support. He urged people in the area to follow emergency instructions and keep roads clear for first responders.
The fire also disrupted advance voting ahead of Monday’s referendum on whether Alberta should begin a process that could lead to independence from Canada. Elections Alberta said two polling locations, in Lloydminster and Vermilion, closed early Saturday and that ballots were transported securely.
CFB Wainwright is one of Canada’s busiest military training bases. It houses the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, which conducts realistic battlefield exercises, and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, which provides military training.
Andrew Left's lawyers asked the judge to toss his conviction on 13 counts of securities fraud.
Dania Maxwell/Bloomberg/Getty Images
A witness who testified against Andrew Left has himself become involved in an insider trading probe.
Left's lawyers asked a judge to toss the jury verdict that found him guilty of securities fraud.
Prosecutors said they didn't learn about the investigation until after the trial was over.
A witness who testified against Andrew Left has himself become involved in an insider trading probe, bringing a new twist to the bombastic short-seller's fraud conviction.
Left's lawyers this month asked the judge who oversaw his trial to toss the jury's verdict convicting him of 13 counts of securities fraud. The trial was irredeemably unfair, they said, because they never had the chance to ask the witness about the investigation and attack his credibility.
"A new trial would probably produce an acquittal," Left's lawyers wrote.
In June, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Left guilty of 13 counts of securities fraud. Prosecutors said he deceived investors by using social media and research reports to set target prices for stocks — including Tesla, Nvidia, and Palantir — while quietly trading them at different prices with his own money.
The founder of Citron Research, Left is something of a short-seller celebrity. He placed bets against GameStop at the same time it became a meme stock, which pitted him against some retail traders on social media. For years, he was a fixture on CNBC and Bloomberg, where he shared his views on stock prices.
Left hasn't been sentenced. In addition to the criminal case, he faces a parallel civil lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission that remains unresolved.
One of the trial's prosecution witnesses was Daniel Bachus, the CFO of Grand Canyon Education, a publicly traded technology company that provides services to universities. Left's lawyers say that Bachus was the only witness who testified that Left used his Citron Research reports to lie about a company, not merely omit information.
On August 21 — weeks after the trial ended — Grand Canyon Education placed Bachus on paid administrative leave "in connection with an ongoing governmental investigation" involving a non-employee's trades of the company's stock, the company said in an SEC disclosure. The prosecutors in Left's case referred to it in their own filings as an "insider trading investigation."
No government agency has publicly accused Bachus or Grand Canyon Education of any misconduct in connection with the investigation. In the SEC disclosure, the company said it wasn't the focus of the investigation. Representatives for the SEC and for Grand Canyon Education declined to comment. Bachus didn't respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.
Left's lawyers say they should have been informed about the investigation at the time of the trial so that they could cross-examine Bachus and try to convince the jury that he wasn't a credible witness.
"This evidence would have destroyed the credibility of the government's only false-statements witness," they wrote in a filing.
The prosecution team told Left's lawyers it didn't learn about the investigation until after the trial was over. It's not clear which government agency opened the investigation, nor when Bachus or Grand Canyon Education became aware of it. Many of the filings about the issue remained sealed or redacted on the court docket for Left's case.
In court filings, Justice Department prosecutors said Left's lawyers overstated Bachus' role in the short-selling case, which alleged securities fraud involving more than a dozen different public companies. They said Left wanted to conduct "his own shadow investigation into Bachus" to try to discredit him as a witness.
"The law does not permit fishing expeditions in search of a claim," prosecutors said.
Left declined to comment. Left's attorney Eric S. Rosen said he could not comment because many relevant documents remained under seal.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney's office in Los Angeles declined to comment.
At 35, the mayor of New York City knows how to catch — and keep — people's attention. It's tempting to think the key to Mamdani's success is Instagram, but the secret sauce of his leadership isn't just a social media machine. It's a man criss-crossing the five boroughs withaportablepodiumand the occasional sugar-free Red Bull.
To better understand how his in-person ubiquity shapes public perception, Business Insider spent the summer tracking the mayor's daily schedule. From May 1 to August 31, Mamdani had 249 listed appointments, 170 of which were held in public. Eighty-one of these were in community spaces such as classrooms, libraries, parks, apartment buildings, tennis courts, places of worship, and restaurants.
Another 50 were government events at emergency preparedness centers and police precincts.With the exception of Staten Island — which Mamdani visited three times — his appearances dotted the city. He spent the most time in Manhattan with 85 events, followed by Brooklyn (35), the Bronx (26), and Queens (21). He made few appearances in City Council chambers and other traditional political arenas. At the mayor's home, Gracie Mansion, there were no press conferences. Instead, Mamdani hosted 10 cultural receptions, pickup soccer games, and religious celebrations.
At a time when C-suite bigwigs are delivering bad news via canned memo, and politicians are mediating their message through glossy election mailers, dozens of political analysts, media strategists, historians, and people in the mayor's orbit say that Mamdani's man-about-town style stands out.
What makes Mamdani a lesson in charisma is his ability to combine four important factors: physical presence, personal authenticity, political messaging, and active participation, a review of his nearly first year shows.
He's able to be in on the joke — poking fun at his omnipresent suit by jumping into a pool, tie and all — while still getting his message across. They're a regular part of his schedule, rather than a surprise one-off that feels like it was cooked up by a communications staffer. It's not an easy balance to strike, but the mayor's in-person events lay out a road map for other leaders.
Showing up doesn't solve all problems, and nine months into his tenure, the mayor has met his fair share of critics. Glad-handing with a few CEOs and small business owners doesn't replace the need to attract investment from blue-chip companies and buzzy startups. Despite his push for affordability, he has yet to substantially lower residents' household bills.
But his supporters and critics agree that the mayor has a natural talent for connection, turning mundane events into meaningful moments with constituents. Hefuses human connection and mass media to turn heads in the cutthroat attention economy. Whether it's cheering on the Knicks in the nosebleeds of Madison Square Garden or ordering an egg and cheese with jalapeño at a Queens bodega, Mamdani knows how to see and be seen.
Between a crammed row of treadmills and elliptical machines, Mamdani straightened his blazer and stepped up to the microphone. The East Village recreation center smelled like sweat, dust, and takeout coffee. Events like this one in early July, which touted new rules to make it easier for people to cancel subscriptions, are a signature way to promote his agenda. As the images circulated online, New Yorkers could imagine Mamdani on the rowing machine next to them, complaining about how hard it was to get out of a pesky membership.
All mayors go to ribbon-cutting ceremonies and attend parades. Mamdani's retail politics events also include everyday New Yorkers in everyday settings. He gave only a few keynote speeches this summer, but he found time to visit three senior centers, seven schools, and a soccer watch party at Rikers Island. A sentiment expressed by dozens of residents is that, regardless of their personal politics, they respect Mamdani for coming to their neighborhoods. One Central Park halal vendor says he feels like the mayor understands how pricey food can be these days. A Staten Islander who has met Mamdani — and filmed a video with him — was shocked that he could rattle off deep-cut Sri Lankan cricket trivia.
Debbie Saslaw runs the video production company Melted Solids alongside Anthony DiMieri. The pair are the brains — and lenses — behind some of Mamdani's viral videos. While much has been said about the mayor's knack for social media, Saslaw says his penchant for physical presence is crucial to making his short-form videos effective. Saslaw recalls a day early in the mayoral campaign when they visited a park to chat with picnickers. She figured no one would want to speak with an underdog candidate on what turned out to be a very rainy afternoon.
"People were honking out from their cars, and one guy waved from his apartment window," she tells me. "People were stopping their bikes — there was a bike pileup."
Moments like that become social media content: More than 80 in-person events this summer earned posts on the NYCMayor Instagram — largely photos and videos of Mamdani with regular people. Only a handful of posts were policy announcement graphics or highly produced mini-documentaries.
Some critics say the energy the mayor puts into engagement is a distracting gimmick that diverts attention from controversial policies or a lack of meaningful accomplishments. With hundreds of events over the summer, Mamdani's time to negotiate and pass policies within City Hall is limited. At least on the books, his schedule shows he met with local political leaders a handful of times between May and August. On the other hand, for all but 25 of 122 days, he attended at least one public event.
The city's business leaders, in particular, say Mamdani hasn't spent enough time learning from corporate advisors, economists, or local shop owners. Of Mamdani's 249 listed events, six were with CEOs or Wall Street execs, and only a few were with small business owners. By comparison, he met childcare and day care workers more than a dozen times. While former communications leaders for Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams say past mayors have also limited their time in boardrooms and offices ("their job is to be out there," one tells me), some small-business owners feel they're getting short shrift from Mamdani as well. A vendor near one of his planned city-owned grocery stores says she feels left out of the conversation, "You're going to spend all this money on building this new infrastructure, and the basic things that we have been asking for don't get done."
Those less convinced by Mamdani's tactics say the resources the Mayor's Office pours into communications are a smokescreen. Mark Jaffe, a founder of NYC's Multicultural Business Coalition who is suing the administration over its city-run grocery store initiative, says that while Mamdani "gets people's attention," the substance is coming up short.
"He knows the issues," Jaffe says. "He just doesn't come up with good plans that can actually solve them through jobs and capitalism."
Mamdani's propensity for kissing babies and waltzing into bars has both practical and historical grounding. As people spend more of their lives conversing with AI customer service bots, half-engaged with corporate Zoom meetings, and watching political attack ads between TV episodes, they're starving for more intimate, authentic connections. When C-suite leaders and politicians try to connect with people, it can yield limited success. Whether it's a fast-food CEO taking tiny bites out of a burger and calling it a "product," tech execs looking unconvincing as they sip beer, or politicians filming stilted selfie videos, attempts to add a personal touch through a mediated platform can leave people cold.
"We are, at our core, social creatures who need to connect, and we did not evolve to connect only digitally," Amy Edmondson, a professor of leadership and management at Harvard Business School, tells me.
Mamdani is trying to resurrect a bygone era for New York City politicians — with his own new-school sheen. Mayoral calendars aren't publicly posted, and changes in record keeping, news coverage, and technology make comparisons imperfect. But historians and communications directors under previous administrations say that recent mayors struggled with the perception of being distant from their constituents.
A longtime New Jersey homeowner, Eric Adams drew criticism for his international travel and trips to exclusive nightclubs. Michael Bloomberg's billionaire status made him less relatable to regular people, NYC historian Kevin Draper tells me, even when he made an effort to meet residents around town. Bill de Blasio had a Mamdani-esque focus on affordability but, based on his dismal approval ratings throughout his mayoralty, failed to connect on a personal level. Former communications directors for de Blasio and Adams say they both had their go-to outer-borough neighborhoods, but neither had Mamdani's widespread reach.
Timing was a factor: Those two leaders tended to work later into the night, whereas the current mayor makes stops around the city much earlier. Draper says youth is also a leg up that Mamdani has over his predecessors. My analysis shows that Mamdani attended at least one event on 97 of his 122 days this summer, averaging more than two per day, and a third of these were out in the community. On busy days, he made up to seven stops.
"He has had a longer honeymoon than any other mayor," José Bayona, who worked under the Adams and de Blasio administrations, says with a laugh. "I can tell you that."
Mamdani has said he emulates Depression-era Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who launched an early version of city-owned stores and primarily focused messaging toward the working class with his "Talk with the People" radio program. He also evokes Ed Koch, the relatively moderate mayor who dominated the 1980s, who was known for strolling the streets and riding the train, asking residents, "How'm I doin'?" The style's lineage stretches back to the 19th century, when candidates and elected officials would drum up support by giving speeches and meeting the public in their saloons and town squares. Members of Tammany Hall, a highly corrupt but popular New York City political machine, focused on in-person interactions with the working class.
There are, of course, challenges to the mayor's attempts at everyman charisma. On a practical level, it's much harder for Mamdani to show up at a sports bar these days without serious planning and a security detail. And even with sharp messaging and the reputation for popping up in unexpected places, the complexities of policy rollout and city politics have slowed his attempts to transform New York.
Mamdani is early enough in his term that he can get away with having big plans that haven't been realized, riding high on a banner sports summer and pothole politics. But as he approaches his second year in office, his constant presence outside City Hall and prolific digital footprint could become more of a liability than an asset. As Edmondson puts it: "There's always a risk of disappointment when people believe that, in your back pocket, you have a magic wand."
Today is World Menopause Day – a day to convince women over 40 that yet another aspect of ordinary life needs to medicalised. It's time to stop the grift, says Joanna Gray.
La BMW iX3 M60 xDrive porta la Neue Klasse a 612 CV: fino a 754 km WLTP, ricarica a 400 kW e tecnologie M per una guida sportiva.
La BMW iX3 M60 xDrive porta la nuova generazione dei SUV elettrici di Monaco in una dimensione ancora più sportiva. È la variante più potente della iX3 basata sulla Neue Klasse e abbina due motori elettrici, uno per asse, a una gestione elettronica della dinamica di guida sviluppata per valorizzare accelerazione, precisione e controllo. La casa annuncia l’apertura degli ordini alla fine di gennaio 2027, mentre la produzione partirà nella primavera successiva nello stabilimento BMW di Debrecen, in Ungheria. Non è ancora stato comunicato un prezzo per il mercato italiano.
Motori elettrici da 612 CV e accelerazione da sportiva
Il sistema BMW M eDrive Gen6 sviluppa una potenza massima di 450 kW, pari a 612 CV, e una coppia di 875 Nm. La trazione integrale xDrive contribuisce a scaricare a terra la spinta dei due propulsori: secondo i dati dichiarati, lo scatto 0-100 km/h richiede 3,9 secondi e la velocità massima raggiunge 240 km/h. Il motore sincrono a eccitazione elettrica sull’asse posteriore utilizza uno statore riprogettato e un inverter più potente, con intensità di 420 ampere anziché 300. Una soluzione che innalza le prestazioni senza rinunciare all’efficienza richiesta a un SUV destinato anche ai lunghi viaggi.
Autonomia fino a 754 km e ricarica ultrarapida
La batteria di nuova generazione con celle cilindriche ha una capacità utilizzabile di 108,7 kWh. L’autonomia dichiarata arriva fino a 754 km WLTP, con consumi combinati indicati tra 17,6 e 20,5 kWh/100 km. Grazie all’architettura elettrica a 800 Volt, la potenza di ricarica in corrente continua tocca 400 kW: su una colonnina adatta, BMW dichiara che dieci minuti possono aggiungere fino a 340 km di autonomia. Di serie è prevista anche la ricarica in corrente alternata fino a 22 kW. I valori restano legati alle condizioni di utilizzo e di ricarica, oltre che alla configurazione del veicolo.
Heart of Joy e controllo digitale della dinamica
Tra gli elementi centrali della BMW iX3 M60 xDrive c’è Heart of Joy, il computer che coordina propulsione, frenata, recupero energetico e parte delle funzioni dello sterzo. Lavora con BMW M Dynamic Performance Control e, secondo il costruttore, elabora le regolazioni fino a dieci volte più velocemente rispetto ai sistemi precedenti. L’obiettivo è rendere le reazioni del SUV immediate e progressive, soprattutto in curva. La funzione Soft Stop sfrutta il recupero d’energia per arresti più fluidi, mentre i freni tradizionali intervengono soprattutto nelle frenate più intense o nella guida sportiva.
Assetto M: sospensioni adattive e differenziale sportivo
La dotazione tecnica comprende sospensioni adattive M, ammortizzatori gestiti elettronicamente, sterzo sportivo variabile e differenziale M Sport a controllo elettronico sull’asse posteriore. La taratura specifica di molle e ammortizzatori, insieme agli interventi di irrigidimento della struttura anteriore, punta a contenere il rollio e migliorare la precisione. Attraverso le modalità M Sport e M Sport Plus il guidatore può modificare le risposte di motori, sterzo e assetto. Non manca l’impianto frenante M Sport, proposto con pinze rosse o blu.
Design Neue Klasse, fari gialli M e ruote fino a 22 pollici
Il design mantiene le proporzioni pulite della Neue Klasse, ma introduce dettagli esclusivi. Spiccano i nuovi M Yellow Lights, ispirati alle auto da competizione, la firma luminosa anteriore con elementi che richiamano i colori M e il doppio rene illuminato con BMW Iconic Glow. Di serie sono previsti cerchi M da 21 pollici, mentre tra gli optional figurano ruote fino a 22 pollici. Specchietti aerodinamici specifici, diffusore nero e spoiler posteriore M con due aeroblade sottolineano l’impronta prestazionale. Ampia anche la personalizzazione cromatica, con 25 finiture speciali previste al lancio.
Interni digitali e assistenza alla guida
Nell’abitacolo il BMW Panoramic iDrive con Operating System X combina la visualizzazione Panoramic Vision, il display centrale da 17,9 pollici e un volante M Sport con pulsanti dedicati a Boost Mode e M Mode. I sedili sportivi M regolabili elettricamente includono funzione massaggio e poggiatesta con logo illuminato. Di serie anche l’audio Harman Kardon da 13 altoparlanti e 430 watt, compatibile con Dolby Atmos. Sul fronte della sicurezza, il sistema BMW Symbiotic Drive integra assistenze di livello 2 SAE; il Motorway Assistant può consentire la guida senza mani in autostrada fino a 130 km/h, nei contesti e nei mercati in cui la funzione è disponibile.
Una nuova sfida per i SUV elettrici ad alte prestazioni
Con la iX3 M60 xDrive, BMW punta a riunire in un unico modello le qualità di una sportiva M Performance e l’autonomia di un grande SUV elettrico. I numeri di potenza e ricarica sono importanti, ma la vera novità è l’integrazione fra meccanica, elettronica e interfaccia digitale. La verifica su strada dirà quanto questa architettura saprà conciliare piacere di guida, comfort e consumi nell’uso quotidiano. Per conoscere listini e disponibilità italiani occorrerà attendere ulteriori comunicazioni ufficiali.
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